new to DCS

[smac]

Hi everyone,

I am new to DCS for that matter any flight simulation. I purchased the Thrustmaster 16000 FCS. I have been trying to fly the Su-25. I can fly it but haven't landed yet. My question is this worth learning this way first on the Su-25 or can I purchase the FA-18 Hornet and be able to fly that? I really want to fly the FA-18. I have been watching videos on Youtube and learning things on there. Any help would be appreciated. Thanks

[TomOnSteam]

I also came to DCS without ever flying a simulator (or any knowledge about planes other than it looks cool) so hopefully this can help:

 

 

It's hard to know where to start when there is so much to learn, not just DCS, but flying in general, and then employing all of the sensors and weapons on a plane, and not only knowing how to do all of those things, but doing them effectively, let alone tactically.

 

 

 

You'll have more fun flying the plane you enjoy the most, so don't make it a chore by flying something you aren't interested in! :-)

 

 

Also the F/A-18C is easier to land, and fly in general as it got better performance characteristics since it's a fighter plane. You don't need to worry about being too accurate with the controls or monitoring speeds and what not, it'll beep or shake when you are going too hard, so it gives you a lot of freedom to fly in a way that is enjoyable. Eventually you might decide to concentrate on precision flying such as air-to-air refueling or formation flights, but in the mean time, fly to have fun, and you'll see that your flight skills get better over time anyway without much focus on it.

 

 

 

You're on the right track though, start by simply flying. Landing does take some practice to do well, but hey, you aren't paying for the tires in a simulator, so just let it develop naturally, or when you want a challenge.

 

 

I started with the A-10, but I would do the same process with the F/A-18.

 

 

-Basics of flight

-Infrared missiles

-Unguided weapons (ground gunning, and rockets)

 

 

 

Then you should be familiar enough with to feel comfortable to just pick anything else you want to learn one at a time. There's a lot to do in the F/A-18 so there's no reason to try to learn it all in one go, so just do whatever you are interested in, and fill in the rest when you want to learn something new.

 

 

 

Personally I'm not into reading the huge manuals, so I like to watch videos of how something is done, and then try it for myself. It's a simulator after all, so I like to do as much in the cockpit as I can rather than reading about it. (of course it's good for the fine details and references). Also watching youtube for complete missions is a pretty good way to pick up subtle things which aren't necessarily in the manuals either. Little things that aren't obvious to us non-pilots :-)

 

Also if you don't have any kind of head-tracking device or VR, then I highly recommend it, it's a game changer. Being able to naturally glance down or sideways, and to track your targets is must imo.

Edited December 25, 2019 by TomOnSteam

[tintifaxl]

The F/A-18 has very good training missions and is easy to fly and land. Give it a go and have fun!

[Blech]

Hi,

 

 

The FA18 is no problem with the T.16000M FCS Hotas

 

16000 FCS ?

 

T.16000M FCS (joystick only)

or

T.16000M FCS Hotas (joystick + throttle)

 

At least it should be the Hotas

Example for : F/A-18C Profile for T.16000M HOTAS

https://www.digitalcombatsimulator.com/en/files/3305744/

 

The profile works with a button defined as MODIFIER

(see picture 2 as example how to add a button as MODIFIER)

 

HEAD-Switch = Trim

 

I guess you have no Head-Tracking ( TrackIR or Camera + Freeware-Software like http://facetracknoir.sourceforge.net/Protocols/FreeTrack.htm)

 

MODIFIER + HEAD-Switch = Look up/down/left/right

 

Some tips for the start :

LShift LWin Pause -> Active Pause ON/OFF

 

DCS-Manuals :

...\DCS World OpenBeta\Mods\aircraft\ xxx \Doc\

 

Chuck's DCS Tutorial Library

https://forums.eagle.ru/showthread.php?t=135765

 

DeskPins

To keep manuals open in the foreground (pdf, doc, ...)

https://www.computerbild.de/download/DeskPins-17935115.html

 

 

-

[Lange_666]

can I purchase the FA-18 Hornet and be able to fly that?

Short version: :joystick: :pilotfly:

[smac]

Thank you so much for the info. I will probably get the FA 18 module. Thanks

[smac]

I do g have the the thrust master 16000m. What do you guys recommend for head tracking system ?

[Bob_Bushman]

Doesn't really matter what module you choose.

 

You have a lot to learn with all of them, especially those marked "study-sim".

 

As for me, my method for learning a module is as following.

 

Startup, nothing fancy, just get things running, I'm ignoring the NATOPS checklists.

Taxi and take off.

Then I goof around, testing climb, turn and stall characteristics.

Followed by a simple landing.

 

I don't bother loading weapons onboard until I'm comfortable to pull off a cold start from memory and can land it at a moderate wind conditions.

 

Then I start weapon systems, all the while still doing cold starts and landings.

 

Sure you can press lwin+home and have the script start for you, or just start hot, go pew pew against npc's or pvp even, and eject when you run dry of missiles.

 

Personally I'm just not in a rush, and I like to know a system pretty well before I add another.

[Aluminum Donkey]

Hi everyone,

I am new to DCS for that matter any flight simulation. I purchased the Thrustmaster 16000 FCS. I have been trying to fly the Su-25. I can fly it but haven't landed yet. My question is this worth learning this way first on the Su-25 or can I purchase the FA-18 Hornet and be able to fly that? I really want to fly the FA-18. I have been watching videos on Youtube and learning things on there. Any help would be appreciated. Thanks

 

In a nutshell, the F/A-18 is shaping up to be an unbelievably complex module. The Su-25T is extremely simplified as far as the aircraft's electronic systems go--just like the Flaming Cliffs 3 pack. The Hornet is a full-fidelity module, and it's also a complex aircraft with a zillion and one buttons, switches and dials, and lots of them do something different depending on what mode the systems are in.

 

The Su-25T (and un-armed P-51) will give you a great taste of what's to come. Get decent at flying and/or landing those, then buy the module you like the most!

 

Get good at setting up your controls, setting deadbands and curves, assigning buttons/switches to the HOTAS. It's a good way for you to get warmed up without spending any more dough :D

 

AD

[Dannyvandelft]

Get Flaming Cliffs 3 and fly the Flankers. They are simplified like the Su-25t but are a great intro into fighters and basic flight.

 

Sent from my SM-G960U using Tapatalk

[DeltaMike]

F18 is a little too easy to land. And if you try to land any other plane like you do the F18, you'll break the gear off.

 

C-101 is an excellent trainer, and it's on sale. The community A-4E mod isn't as detailed but it's also a great trainer. And the price is right.

[Andrew8604]

If the F-18 is your major motivation, you can get that and learn the steps it takes to start it up and get going with no weapons and just practice flying from point A to point B or remaining in the landing patterns for touch and go's. You want the basic setup of the nav system so your HUD will work right. Just follow the checklist in manual. I make a condensed version of the checklist of just the things I really need to set for the flight. It may be a challenge to fly the F-18 at first, but as you get better at it, you'll be happy. You can just use the weapon mode for Mk-82 500-lb bombs and carry only about 4 of them. Too many and the extra weight will make flying a little more difficult. Don't lug Sidewinders on the wings unless you just can't bear flying without their cool looks. :) You can also load the F-18 with no weapons and no pylons...clean wing configuration and it flies even better. It looks pretty sharp all clean and sleek with the included Blue Angels skin. Once you can refuel from the C-130 inflight and land on the carrier, you can pin some wings on yourself. :) I have over 300 hours and in flight refueling is still a major challenge for me. It takes very fine movements on the flight controls. If you want someone patient to fly with, let me know. Although, I have to figure out the online voice communications. I don't have Skype, I use TeamSpeak.

[JUICE-AWG]

You will love the Hornet and I would grab it on sale very soon! Are you standalone or STEAM...I used to be STEAM DCS but switched years ago to Standalone and love it! Enjoy!

[JUICE-AWG]

I do g have the the thrust master 16000m. What do you guys recommend for head tracking system ?

 

 

I started with the FaceTrackNOIR and a Logitech C270 Webcam about 4 years ago with the intent to upgrade to TrackIR...and 4 years later, I'm loving my FaceTrackNOIR.

 

 

http://facetracknoir.sourceforge.net/home/default.htm

 

 

It takes some time to tune it and get used to it, and you have to have enough illumination in the room to pick up your facial features for tracking, but it's great and cheap.

 

 

For $3 US and the cost of a digital webcam ($20), you can have good tracking until you're ready for VR...that's my next step when the GEN 2 Reverb comes out.

 

 

Cheers!

[Andrew8604]

I started with the FaceTrackNOIR and a Logitech C270 Webcam about 4 years ago with the intent to upgrade to TrackIR...and 4 years later, I'm loving my FaceTrackNOIR.

 

JUICE, does FaceTrack do a good job of tracking so that you can look in nearly any direction from the cockpit in a DCS flight? No glitching or freeze/hesitate? If so, I'm going to switch to that!

 

 

I find that TrackIR 5 is very glitchy. I can't ever seem to look up and to the left. It just stops tracking. And it wants to invert the view when I look overhead, past straight up. You have to be able to look in these directions reliably for ACM. And TrackIR hardware seems very fragile and rinky-dink. The IR camera unit's mount is also rinky-dink.

 

 

***See my post below...TrackIR tracking problem corrected. It tracks far better now.

Edited December 30, 2019 by Andrew8604
Correction of criticism of TrackIR

[feefifofum]

Andrew, adjust the light filter in the "camera" tab. There is likely a light source interfering with where the camera thinks you're looking. I think you'll find TrackIR the more reliable of the two platforms.

 

You can also adjust the curvature of the axes by clicking and dragging to change how far you have to move your actual head/neck to achieve a full rotation of your virtual head.

Edited December 29, 2019 by feefifofum

[Andrew8604]

Andrew, adjust the light filter in the "camera" tab. There is likely a light source interfering with where the camera thinks you're looking. I think you'll find TrackIR the more reliable of the two platforms.

 

You can also adjust the curvature of the axes by clicking and dragging to change how far you have to move your actual head/neck to achieve a full rotation of your virtual head.

 

 

 

Thank you for your advice. It wasn't a light source interfering. It wasn't the curves. But thank you for encouraging me to take another look and figure it out. What I realized is that the 3 LED's of the Track Clip Pro have to be seen individually at all times or head tracking stops. When I started to look up and to the left, I realized two of those LED's merged and the tracking stopped. I also discovered that the Track Clip Pro can be adjusted in more ways than I thought. I managed to reposition it so that no two LED's will merge in any head position needed. It works far better now!! I spoke against it too soon. I am still a little disappointed with its clip design for clipping on head sets, but it is working very well now. I'll just treat it very tenderly. Thanks again!

[Belphe]

I would say T.16000 is more than enough as your entry level joystick. Su-25T is a great plane but IMHO its better to admire the beauty/complexity of DCS World from the Hornet's cockpit. Its easier to handle, it has better visibility and is a more modern design. Since you are new you need to learn the basics to a degree that flight itself won't be taking up most of your concentration and you can focus on the other activities. In my opinion F/A-18C is a perfect platform for that, being both new pilot friendly and very capable in the long run: easy to learn, hard(er) to master.

[feefifofum]

Thank you for your advice. It wasn't a light source interfering. It wasn't the curves. But thank you for encouraging me to take another look and figure it out. What I realized is that the 3 LED's of the Track Clip Pro have to be seen individually at all times or head tracking stops. When I started to look up and to the left, I realized two of those LED's merged and the tracking stopped. I also discovered that the Track Clip Pro can be adjusted in more ways than I thought. I managed to reposition it so that no two LED's will merge in any head position needed. It works far better now!! I spoke against it too soon. I am still a little disappointed with its clip design for clipping on head sets, but it is working very well now. I'll just treat it very tenderly. Thanks again!

 

 

Check out the TrackHat if you find the clips to be problematic for your setup. A third party product with IR LEDs stitched directly into a baseball cap. I had previously been using the hat clip and had similar issues with the camera losing sight of a sensor from time to time. The wired hat has been rock solid.